Day 117

Pizza And Movies

Aug 31, 2013, 8:51 PM

Today was heaven on earth! We did nothing. We watched the Indiana Jones movies that were playing on TV, all four, back to back, to back, to back. Then we went out to get a pizza for dinner. We brought the pizza back to the RV to eat, finished watching the last Indiana Jones movie. It really was a nice day. We needed a down day. The traffic was making Steve crazy and that makes me crazy. So sorry there are no photos to show you, no snappy little stories to tell you, just two people that needed to relax. 

Tomorrow our plan is to see what Sacramento has to offer. We will see he that goes. Good night all!! Talk to you again tomorrow. 

Day 116

Wine Country

Aug 30, 2013, 9:07 PM

We had a nice day driving through Wine Country. We stopped at three different wineries, NakedWines.com, this place was sort of a clearing house place. They had different wine producers so they had lots to choose from. Steve found an Arabella Cabernet Sauvignon that he liked. Then we went to St. Francis Vineyard & Winery, Steve found a Port there he liked, then we went to deLorimier Winery, he found a dessert 2009 Sauvignon Blanc "Lace" that he really liked. Then the trip home went south real fast when we encountered traffic that was again terrible. It went beyond terrible. California is not our kind of place. Dealing with the traffic almost ruins the day. 

Oh well we don't let these things get us down. Things are really very different out here. In campgrounds you have to pay to take showers and you have to pay to use the Internet. It is just very different. The Internet is kind of a pain in the butt, but thank God we take showers in our own RV. So after today, tomorrow's plans are up in the air, Steve really needs a break from the driving. So you all have a wonderful night. I'll talk to you tomorrow. 

Day 115

Muir Woods

Aug 29, 2013, 1:00 PM

I am about to bitch so if you don't want to hear it I'd suggest you stop reading right now. . .  If you're still with me, I am going to take it that you are willing to listen to my rant. Oh and I'm going to RANT!!! 

We left this morning at a decent time. We made it to Muir Woods taking the craziest route the GPS laid out for us. As we were driving Steve and I were laughing that she was going to take her revenge on us. She had us going through what could only be called "The Hood". I told Steve she is going to get us so turned around and in such a bad area and then she's going to tell us, "That's it sucker, this is where I'm leaving you for all the times you gave me crap." Thankfully she's not vindictive and she got us to Muir Woods without incident. As we drive up there is a sign that says the main parking lot is full, so we gave it a once around just to see if anyone was leaving, no such luck. We go to the next lot, it's full too. There is off road parking but it is a way down the road and the secondary lot was a good hike, so I suggested we go around again. People were coming and going all the time. Someone had to be leaving. So we go back to the main lot, we just missed one, DAMN. We go back to the secondary lot, there is a guy walking to a car, Steve rolls the window down and asks him if he's leaving, now mind you, there was no frustration or aggravation at this point so Steve wasn't sounding short or anything. The guy said "I will be, yeah", so we wait. I'm doing the happy dance, we got a spot, yippee. He gets in his car, he's not moving, OK it's cool, we are happy people, we are on vacation, we are patient. His girlfriend/wife walks up, we are still waiting, cars are going around us, it's all good, we're cool. He puts the top down, we are still waiting. She gets out to get something from the back seat, she fights with it a minute, then puts it in the trunk, now by this time the people going around us are GETTING SPOTS THAT WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN BUT, WE WERE STILL BEING PATIENT!!!!!!! She is gets back in her seat, she is now arching her back over the seat and she has her camera and she is taking a picture of herself like she is all that. Steve is going out of his MIND!!!!!!!! I got out of the car with the camera to get a picture of this. This had to go in the blog. It was incredible! There was no reason he couldn't have gotten out of the parking spot and pulled over to do all of their fiddling, but no. They took over 15 minutes to leave the parking spot, the whole time knowing we were patiently waiting. This was the most blatant display of inconsiderate, self absorbed, ASSHOLE'itis in the world, this guy's head was so far up his butt the only time he see daylight is when he has a colonoscopy, and there was no reason what's so ever. It isn't like we were short with the guy, we didn't beep the horn, there was no giving him the finger, there was no reason to be this much of an ass unless of course you're born that way. Now the best part of all of this is I HAVE HIS LICENSE PLATE, and they were from Florida. So this is what I need from each of you, if you know this person you tell them they are JERKS!!!!! Both of them!!!!!! However, in all of this my husband kept his cool and was a tower of restraint. It was a Herculean feat of restraint but he held it, I was so proud. Me, I wanted to kill the guy. I wanted to take his head and smash it into the steering wheel. I wanted to beat his girlfriend/wife with the camera, but non of that would be nice, so I didn't. 

Putting that nasty little incident behind us, we moved on into the city. I love San Francisco!! I'm not even sure why, it's a big city I usually hate big cities, but not San Francisco. We went to Fisherman's Wharf and had lunch at Alioto's. it was very good, but Steve got a bowl of crab bisque and it tasted like it had nutmeg in it. Now I'm sure that nutmeg is appropriate seasoning for something that is cream based, but I didn't like it. Maybe the chef was heavy handed, I don't know. 

After lunch we walked around a bit. I got some photos of street performers. Then on to Ghirardelli's for a hot fudge sundae. Oh it was heaven!!!!! After that we walked back to the car, we found a bakery to get a loaf of sour dough bread, then we drove to the Golden Gate Recreation Area. I was thinking this is perfect, I'll be able to get a really nice picture of the bridge from the pier that you can walk out on. The places along the wharf where you could actually see the bridge, there were obstructions in the way of a good shot. Not from this place. We found the perfect parking spot and it was free, cool right! I got my cameras and we walked out. My first look over to the west, I couldn't see the bridge, I figured OK we just haven't walked out far enough. We walk out further and it hits me I CAN'T SEE THE BRIDGE CAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY COVERED IN FOG!!!!!! Come on, this is crazy. I've got one shot at the Golden Gate Bridge and it's covered in fog. I realize that happens more often then not but just a few hours ago it was nice, where were where standing was crystal clear, to the north, east, and south crystal clear, but the bridge was covered. Oh well, I guess our next trip, in another 12 years, I'll get a picture of the bridge. 

On to Chinatown. We walked around Chinatown and then settled on a place to eat. It was good, not great, but hell we had already eaten so much today. I left my camera in the car cause we really were only planning on getting something to eat and don't you know I should have had it with me. In several places we saw an old Asian man playing an Erhu and I would have liked to have gotten a photo of that. You know on vacation you just can't get a picture of everything, trust me, I've tried. It can't be done. 

So now dinner is done, we are stuffed fuller than a Christmas goose and more than ready to go home. As we near the GGB, don't you flipp'n know that damn thing is crystal clear now. I mean, come on, work with me here people!!!! It's not right to tease the photographer, I have a T-shirt that says it all, "I'm About To Snap". Well that darling husband if mine, I know I've mentioned him a time or two, well bless his little heart, he took me back to the pier so I could get pictures. Even though we were in such horrible traffic and we'd just have to fight it again later. I am so lucky to have this man and I don't deserve him, God knows. So this is how I'm summing up today. . .  It was a good day, but there were some trials, however we are still having a good time so it wasn't that bad. I'm not 100% sure I will get this out tonight and if I don't I'm sorry, but you just would not believe the traffic we are dealing with trying to get home. 

Day 114

Lost Day

Aug 28, 2013, 5:13 PM

Well we kind of had a lost day today. We didn't leave that early and we had a GPS hiccup, twice, it is only because of my expert navigational skills that we got here at all. I know what you're thinking, if my navigation skills were so flipp'n great we wouldn't have had issues, well keep it to yourself. Anyway we got here just fine. The guy in the office took Steve to look at two different sites so that he could have his choice. I thought that was nice!! 

So we didn't do anything after getting set up, except a quickie trip to Walmart, where we thought the GPS was still hiccuping, but not this time, after two previous missteps we weren't trusting, this time it was us having the hiccup, not the GPS. 

We thought we wanted to go to Lake Tahoe tomorrow but the air quality in that area is not great because of the Rim fire at Yosemite National Park, so instead we are going to go to FRISCO!!!!!!! I can't wait. We had such a great time the last time we were there, and it has probably been 12 years since we were there. So good night guys, tomorrow's blog may be late, it will depend on when we get home. 

Day 113

Cal-la-forn-ya Here We Come

Aug 27, 2013, 10:11 AM

Traveling down the I-5 through Oregon was so pretty and really a nice ride. No traffic, pretty views we were starting on a high note. Have you ever noticed though how when things are going really well and you are riding high, you only have a downward spiral around the bend, and her name is CALIFORNIA. The first thing that was really crazy was there was a road sign that read, Mandatory All Vehicle Inspection Station. Every vehicle on the road had to go through what was like a toll booth and there were inspectors making trucks open the back. We were in a line for non commercial vehicles and in our line and the one next to us there were box trucks, one was a U-Haul moving van and they made the drivers get out and lift the door. What the heck this was about I have no idea. They just waved the cars that I saw through, there was a fifth-wheel that got waved through, then we got waved through. This was a colossal waste of time. 

The roads were torn up with construction and there were signs saying Any Vehicle Towing Maximum Speed 55. Oh great, not good for time, but good for gas mileage. I'm looking for the positive here. Then we get to the Welcome Center. Now this was kind of nice/weird I don't know, you draw your own conclusions. There are nice picnic tables with covers over them for shade, sprinklers were going and you could see they take a lot of pride in their green grass lawn, there is a table off to the sign with a man sitting there his back to the table. There is a chess board all set up on the other side of the table. There is a man walking across the grass, he is walking to the table, he grabs the chess board and walks away without a word spoken between the two men. I notice this as we are walking into the Welcome Center. When we come out, the first man is gone, the second man is now sitting at another table with the chess board all set up he has a book and he is moving the pieces, no one is anywhere near him. He is playing chess at a Rest Area along I-5 all by himself. 

Moving right along. . . . The scenery is just spectacular; rolling hills, mountains, trees, rivers and creeks is pretty much all you see. Then we get a glimpse of Mt. Shasta. Oh it is so beautiful with it's snow cover top, a cloudless blue sky, and green hills at it's feet. So although it is slow going between construction, detours, speed limitations, and steep hills giving Steve fits, I am enchanted. 

Aug 27, 2013, 5:16 PM

Oh it just gets better and better, we have to boil water here at Parkway RV Resort. Not so "resorty"!!!! Oh well, we are only here for the night. 

Day 112

Crater Lake and the Pinnacles

Aug 26, 2013, 4:07 PM

What a great day. I know I say that a lot, but it has been the case each and every time. Crater Lake was so beautiful. Given the name, I thought it was a meteor strike that caused the crater that became the lake, but oh no, this had been the peak of Mt. Mazama and a massive volcanic eruption left a deep basin that in time filled and became the most beautiful lake. Because there are no rivers or creeks that run into the lake the clarity is amazing and it reflects a beautiful blue color. This is the deepest lake in the United States, at a depth of over 1,900 feet. The way the sides of the crater sprang up from the surface of the water, you really got the sense of the bowl containing the lake. 

Then we drove to the Pinnacles. They were the freakiest thing I've ever seen. Huge spires of rock that look like they were left behind by a great flood. We walked a trail and just wondered at these weird things. When you look at the pictures I don't think anyone will find any faces, but you might see other things (keep your comments to yourselves).

Aug 26, 2013, 4:49 PM

We met up with another good friend for dinner, that's out in Oregon taking care of aging parents. It was great to see Mike Dunbar and talk to him about local sights and our trip. We ate a very good dinner and spent a good hour and a half talking and laughing and making plans to meet up again. It was great. Then home to download photos and get the blog up on line. Tomorrow Steve and I will be on the move again. We will be spending the night in Orland, California then on to Vacaville, California. You all have a wonderful night, I'll be in touch again tomorrow.